My Home Ideas

Special Offers

Be the first to know about This Old House contests, sweepstakes, and events and receive special offers and promotions from your favorite home improvement brands. We'll even send you regular reminders to enter our sweepstakes.

Contribute to This Story Below

More in Yard & Garden

Stagger Bulbs

Want to brighten up a deck or patio? Grab a container and plant layers of bulbs that will give you three bursts of color when spring arrives. Choose bulb varieties that flower a few weeks apart, such as crocus, tulips, and daffodils, which will bloom in rotation for up to six weeks.

To fill a container that's 12 inches in diameter and 12 to 14 inches deep, you'll want about 9 crocus, 7 tulip, and 5 daffodil bulbs. First add a 1-inch layer of pebbles to the bottom of the container (make sure there’s a drainage hole or drill one out). Add 4 inches of potting soil, and mix in a tablespoon of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Place the daffodil bulbs with their flat, root end down and pointed end up, making sure the sides aren't touching. Add another 1-inch layer of potting soil, covering the bulbs to their tips. Place the row of tulip bulbs so they're staggered over the daffodils and not directly on top. Cover with soil; repeat steps with crocus bulbs. Cover the "sandwiched" bulbs with 1 to 2 inches of mulch, and water thoroughly. Keep soil moist throughout the fall, then let the container winter over (in an unheated garage or shed in climates with very cold winters) until warm spring rains encourage the first shoots to appear.